Let the Sun Shine . . .

It's been ages since I posted - real life getting the better of me. So as an apology, I present wedding photos!


All my wedding finery - veil, bag, shoes, bouquet

( More photos here )
More photos in the next post

With 11 days until the wedding things are starting to come together. We're down to the nitty gritty bits of paper craft and confirming everything.

With the rest of my life, lots of nice things have been happening at school, mostly since I finished my report cards. I've got some really good friends there now who are just as nutty as me, and my class continues to be truly awesome (one of the teachers who helps in my room told me yesterday that my classroom always seems so happy)

So all is good and happy. And even though I'm not posting much at the moment, I am reading and thinking of you guys.

I'm currently reading Bill Clinton's book - Giving - and there was an organisation mentioned in it that has stuck with me.

So I went to Kiva and checked it out. Kiva is an organisation that allows people to lend money to support a particular microloan around the world. You get to pick who gets your money, they have an interest free loan they can use to build their business, and you can lend as little at $25 American dollars (When I added a small donation to Kiva itself it worked out at $30.90 Australian).

They have a really high repayment rate, and if loans are not repayed, it's still a low donation to help someone. When you are repayed, you can donate the money again are get it back. I loaned to a furniture painter in Lebanon this morning, and actually finished off the loan for him. Hopefully I'll be able to make some more donations in the future to help more people.

sangerin tagged me for this:

The rules are easy, just post 10 things that recently made you happy! Because it is good. Everyone needs a little happiness once in a while.

1. We're chugging along nicely with the wedding planning. Reception booked, appointment with the minister booked. Photographer being looked at today . . .

2. I'm motivated today - got to be a good thing.

3. The Life Line book fest. All those cheap books. Such a good cause.

4. The birds enjoying themselves outside

5. Gouda cheese. There is nothing better than good cheese.

6. Rewatching West Wing and Firefly - and Matt suggesting we rewatch Firefly

7. Finding a video of Beauty and the Beast at the bookfest, so I can prepare for dancing.

8. Reading and keeping a reading journal (paper) for the first time. I'm trying new books again this year like I did in 2006.

9. I'm making Save The Dates for the wedding, and they look pretty.

10. Like sangerin I'm posting the interest meme as no. 10. Because it's cool and it made me rewrite my interests.

( Behind the cut )

I'm not tagging anyone, but lizbee, piecesofalice and weaverandom should do it . . .

I had two huge fillings done today at the dentist, so I'm numb, kinda silly, and not really functioning at my best.

sangerin I will have the beta to you later today when I'm thinking straight again.

When I hear the word 'recession' on television, I immediately think 'bagel'

Yes, the West Wing may have warped my mind . . .

So, yeah. It's 3.50am and I am still awake.

Considering I need to be awake in an hours time and there's a whole pile of costumes still to sew, I don't see sleep in my future any time soon.

Psst.

I ordered my wedding dress today

It's scary how much money is involved. . .



I had something else to say, but honestly can't think what that was

Um. It's not supposed to get darker as it gets later in the morning, is it?

Oh. Hello storm. At the moment I don't think we'll be going swimming today.

I watched the first episode of The Abbey last night on ABC. This is my favourite kind of reality television - when people are put in positions which challenge them, but there is history or tradition behind the challenges. And the people are safe. Think Edwardian Country House or the squatters/settlers one set in Australia.

This was such a lovely program. I did consider applying for it briefly, though I knew school and dancing would get in the way. The Abbey is a beautiful place, where the principle work of the nuns is prayer. In the program five 'outside' women are invited in, and expected to follow the rules of (I believe) quiet and obedience.

The women aren't just dumped there, though. They are well guided and taught and looked after by 'sister nuns', particularly the wonderful Sister Hilda. If you look at the website, there is a biography of the nuns who help the women - they have led really amazing lives and are really interesting women.

I thought it was a great show, with much to think about, and I'm really looking forward to next week's episode.